Safety garment for infants



April 13, 1943. c. w. LEE 2,316,602

SAFETY GARMENT FOR INFANTS Fi led Feb. 20, 1942 Jigs. Inz/e 722 625: 6 7Zera/z6@@ MWAZV agi e aways Patented Apr. 13, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE sars'ry GARMENT FOR INFANTS Catherine W, Lee, Los Angeles, Calif. Application February 20, 1942, Serial No.-431,'639

' 1 Claim. (01. 2-111) This invention relates to animproved safety garment for infants and has, for one of its principal objects, the provision of means embodied in a garment or jacket for infants or small children whereby the children can be safely yet properly restrained within the confines of a certain area such as, for example, in a crib or on a bed.

One of the important objects of the invention is to provide a simple device which also comprises a garment and which will prevent the child from climbing out of bed or arising to its feet when such action is undesirable while, at the same time, the device can be so arranged that it will prevent the child from lying on its face while, at the same time, permitting turning on its side or sitting up.

One of the important objects of the invention is to provide a combination garment and restraining element for small children which will safely and conveniently restrain the child from getting into dangerous positions either in a bed, on a chair or in a. perambulator or in other places while, at the same time, the apparatus is so arranged that it is definitely out of the question for the child to become entangled.

One of the essential parts of the invention is the provision of a band which is relatively wide and which is attached to the back of the child's jacket or the like or made integral therewith, and the attachment is such that the area thereof is somewhat less than the full width of the childs back or approximately one-third of the waist measure of the infant, thereby preventing the wearer from swivelling, as would be the case if the band were simply sewed in a single seam midway of the girth and in the back.-

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawing and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is shown in the drawing and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved safety restraining garment of this invention, i1- lustrating particularly the fastening band which is secured to the rear portion of the garment.

Figure 2 is a rear view of the garment, showing more particularly the safety band and its relationship to the remainder of the garment.

Figure 3 is a perspective view, illustrating the device in position on a child and in actual operation.

Figure 4 shows a front elevation of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 is still another illustration of the device while in operation and when in position.

As shown in the drawing:

The reference numeral It indicates generally the body portion of theimproved safety restraining garment of this invention, and this may be provided with a short jacket either with or without sleeves and provided with suitable fastening means for maintaining the same in position such as by bands l2, at the neck and side fastening non-twist tape or ribbons H1 at one side of the garment.

Attached to the rear of the jacket at points approximately midway across the wearers back and at about the waist line is the fastening strap or tie of this invention as indicated by the reference numeral l6, and the attachment preferably conprises lines of stitching, and as illustrated at [8, these stitching lines being usually in the form of a rectangle as illustrated and which encompass a fairly large area so that the attachment itself covers a relatively large portion of the childs back as distinguished from a point or small area attachment.

As will be obvious from Figure 3, the child may take a sitting posture or may lie on his back as illustrated in Figure 5, and in fact may lie on either side. l 'he band is pulled taut While child sits up on center of mattress then bands are fastened at ends by tying under mattress on springs 22. This allows considerable free motion; the child can change from sitting position to lying on its back and turning on either side, all without change of adjustment of the straps it.

The ends of the bands I6 can be tied securely or pinned underneath the mattress or tied or otherwise fastened to the sides of the crib or the edge of sprnigs as in a bed or around the back of a chair as occasion arises.

One side of the garment is preferably left open and provided with the tie bands [4, this allowing for difference in sizes of children while, at the sometime, rendering available means for keeping the garment reasonably snug about the body of the particular wearer making it very easy to put the garment on child. The ties 12 at the top serve the same purpose.

The advantages of this device over an ordinary belt are obvious in that the shoulders are somewhat confined by the use of this garment, thereby preventing twisting or swivelling while, at the same time, a reasonably loose fit about the waist is permitted. The pull, however, is at the waist, and the range of movement is limited by the shoulder confinement. The pull is, in all positions, evenly distributed.

The belt is sewed firmly to the jacket, and two, three or even more thicknesses of cloth can be used at the point of attachment, and in actual practice, it is preferable to have three thicknesses of cloth with one of the ends being doubled over the other and the third thickness being the outside applied piece which provides a maximum strength.

The use of a jacket actually fastened to or practically integral with a belt or pair of straps confines the childs' shoulders and provides a greater restraining effect while, at the same time, allowing more freedom of movement than if a mere belt were used. Better anchorage for the fasg tening straps is, of course, obviously provided, and the fact that the belt is attached directly to the back of the garment over a considerably large area produces much better results in that undesirable swivelling is eliminated, desirable freedom of movement is allowed, and tangling is prevented. V I

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

, A safety restraining garment for children comprising a jacket adapted to be fitted about the upper portion of the childs body and a belt fastened to the jacket at thelrea'r thereof and over a relatively large area-'- ofsaid jacket,- the fastening means comprising lines of stitching in rectangular form, the lines of stitching connecting: the restraining belt directly to the back portion of the garment, auxiliary fastening means on the jacket for securing the same in snug position about the wearers body, and means for fastening" the ends of the restraining strap in adjusted position with respect to a mattress or other support for the child.

CATHERiNE W; LEE". 

